264



Correspondence.



THE “ SHELL IBIS.” Anastomus oscitans.


Mr. WILLIAM JAMRACH very kindly sent two photographs of Shell Ibises

in his possession, but as funds are low, we regret we must abstain from publish¬

ing them.


These birds are really storks, rather than ibises, and are called SJiell

Ibises from their cleverness in extracting unio and molluscs from their shells.


They nest in trees, and more than thirty nests have been observed in one

tree. They are also called open-bills, owing to the formation of the beaks at the

sides.


Anastomus oscitans is an Indian and Indo-Chinese species ; white, with

black scapulars, remiges and rectrices, yellow bill and legs.


Mr. W. Jamrach wrote :— 11 They are found in the Punjab on the banks

“ of the rivers fishing for cockles and mussels, etc. Adult birds, when caught,

“ never survive, but all the immature birds take readily to raw meats on which

‘‘they thrive wonderfully well. Their habits with other waterfowl are most

‘‘inoffensive, notwithstanding the formidable appearance of their bills. At

“ present they are represented in the Zoological Gardens of Amstersdam, Berlin

“ and London, and probably Cologne, and also in the private collections of

‘‘several amateurs in France.”


Their bills rather remind one of that of the Jabirus.


STRAY NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF THE COUNTRY-SIDE.


Errata.


June No. p. 229, line 19, ‘‘esconsed” should read ‘‘ensconced.”


p 229, line 27, ‘‘Martins” ,, ,, ‘‘Moutins.”


p. 230, line 28, ‘‘running” ,, ,, ‘‘cunning.”


p 231, line 31, ‘‘indifferent” ,, ,, “difficult”


This article was intended for the July magazine, but was published in June at

the last moment, so that the writer never received proof sheets. The Editor had

to be away from home, and the printers are much handicapped in these days of


the war. -


To the Editor of the Avicultural Magazine.


DEAR SIR,—It may interest you to hear that the Wren (whose tree

creeping propensities I reported some weeks ago) chose rather an unusual nest¬

ing site, his young have just flown from a nest built inside a last year’s

swallow’s nest in the roof of my stable. I am practically certain that the nest

belonged to the same bird which I saw “ tree creeping,” the shed into which he

flew when leaving the birch tree is built on to the stable in which the nest was

built, and all this spring a pair of wrens always frequented the near neighbourhood

of birch and stable (which are only three yards apart). I have never previously

come across a wren’s nest in a similar situation. HUGH WORMALD.


A wren built in an old nest of a swallow in the early spring at Brinsop;

the nest being within easy reach of one’k hand under a doorway, and the wrens

had to come over the roofs into the courtyard, not only to arrive there, but also

to carry nesting materials.—ED.



